The Scots have been travelling to the New World in search of a more prosperous future for centuries now, for well over a millennia in fact.
Indeed, it is estimated that no fewer than 25 million Americans – around eight per cent of the population of the United States - are descended from forebears from these shores who fled from religious persecution and forced eviction or tried to make commercial gain from lucrative foreign markets.
The current occupant of the Oval Office, that Donald J Trump fella, is one of them. His mother Mary Anne MacLeod originally hailed from the village of Tong on the Isle of Lewis. She emigrated in 1930 in an attempt to escape from her impoverished background.
Yet, the Tartan Army footsoldiers from this country who will head across the Atlantic in their tens of thousands in June to cheer on the national team in their first World Cup in 28 years will do so with as much hope in their hearts as MacLeod or any of those who have gone before them.
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Scotland’s extraordinary 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden last month will never be forgotten by anyone who was lucky enough to be present in the 49,587-strong crowd or who watched events unfold on television at home or in their local pub.
The Scott McTominay, Lawrence Shankland, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean goals which clinched the victory that sealed top spot in Group C and automatic qualification for the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States will forever be seared into the subconscious of their compatriots.
But the kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing, lager-guzzling hordes who will attend the greatest show on planet football next summer for the first time since France ’98 will not simply be content to make up numbers. No, they have quickly turned their attentions to their next objective.
They will remortgage their homes, take out bank loans, run up huge credit card debts and blow their inheritances so they can see their brave boys make it through to the knockout rounds of a major tournament for the first time ever and at the 13th time of asking.
The draw in the Kennedy Center in Washington DC last night saw Scotland put in Group C alongside Brazil, Morocco and Haiti. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy! But all of a sudden, it all seems very real and extremely exciting. Just six months to go and counting.
This nation has competed in the World Cup on eight occasions (in Switzerland in 1954, Sweden in 1958, West Germany in 1974, Argentina in 1978, Spain in 1982, Mexico in 1986, Italy in 1990 and France in 1998) and four European Championships (in Sweden in 1992, England in 1996, Scotland and England in 2021 and Germany in 2024) and have never once progressed beyond the group stages.
Their record in the beautiful game’s showpiece event makes for particularly grim reading; they have won just four of the 23 matches they have been involved in since taking to the field to face Austria in front of a crowd of 25,000 at the Hardturm Stadium in Zurich 71 years ago.
Zaire, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Sweden are the only opponents they have successfully overcome.
But optimism always, despite the humiliating failures, excruciating near things, shattered dreams and early exits, always abounds whenever a team wearing a dark blue jersey takes to the field at the World Cup and North America 2026 will not be any different.
Are supporters’ hopes misplaced? Yes and no. Andy Robertson and his team mates are sure to come up against technically superior rivals with far more impressive pedigrees and realistic designs on reaching the latter stages of the competition if not outright victory.
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Nobody, though, gave Steve Clarke’s charges much chance of topping their section when they were drawn to face Denmark, Greece and Belarus in qualifying. You write this team off at your peril.
Clarke - the 62-year-old Ayshireman who is, having led his country through to three tournament finals, arguably the greatest ever Scotland manager – faces serious challenges in the months ahead and will be doing very well to meet the expectations of the Tartan Army.
Goalkeeper is a particular area of concern for him. Angus Gunn performed superbly in the opening World Cup qualifiers against Denmark, Belarus, Greece and Belarus again and helped his adopted homeland to record a draw and three victories despite not featuring at club level.
When the Nottingham Forest man suffered serious knee ligament damage in training last month, Craig Gordon came back in and was excellent in the defeat to Greece and triumph over Denmark.
But the 83-times capped former Sunderland and Celtic player is not starting for Hearts either and turns 43 on New Year’s Eve. If he is still in possession of the No 1 jersey come June he will become the second oldest player in the history of the tournament after Essam El Hadary, who was 45 when he played for Egypt at Russia 2018.
But what sort of shape will Gordon be in? Does he need to go out on loan in January? Will he be able to remain fully fit in the months ahead? If he picks up another knock, who will come in? Will Gunn be back? Will Scott Bain, Zander Clark or Liam Kelly have to step up? There is much uncertainty.
What sort of state will an ageing squad – Clarke used nine players aged 29 or over in Scotland’s last outing – be in by the time they arrive at their base camp? They were pretty patched up when they rocked up at Euro 2024 last year. They were missing five first team regulars and showed they did not have the strength in depth needed to shine on such a stage. They were a shadow of the team which had steamrollered all before them in qualifying.
Scotland fans will enjoy being at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years whether they win, lose or draw in Canada, Mexico and the United States. They are well practised at not allowing the outcome of a game of football to dampen their spirits. They will, too, be welcomed with open arms by the locals and add colour and fun to proceedings.
But they will hoping their heroes can, after 72 years of hurt, extend their stay beyond the group stages for the first time ever.
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